Open to businesses in Hartlepool, including schemes for the wider region and the whole country.
Hartlepool's page: people to ring, events nearby and what is only for Hartlepool
UK Steel Enterprise
Business loans from UKSE for businesses in steel areas, at fixed interest rates: unsecured loans of up to £200,000 for a growing business, or up to £100,000 for a new one, and secured loans.
UK Steel Enterprise
Equity investment from UKSE for businesses in steel areas: up to £1 million on a first round for a growing business, or up to £250,000 for a new one. UKSE takes only minority stakes and rarely asks for personal guarantees.
Tees Valley Combined Authority, Tees Valley Creates
A support service listed by Tees Valley Combined Authority for established businesses, social enterprises and start-ups in the creative, cultural, digital and tech sectors, with help on finance and funding, business planning and networking.
FW Capital
Short-term finance of £100,000 to £2 million, managed by FW Capital, for businesses with a material presence in or delivering economic benefit to Teesside. Interest-only terms, suited to funding advance payment guarantees, performance bonds or contract-related cash flow.
SWEF
Grants of up to £500 for pre-revenue businesses or up to £2,000 for established businesses, for young people aged 18–30 living in County Durham or Tees Valley.
Enterprise Made Simple
Flexible training programme of up to 16 weeks to build Level 4 advanced digital marketing skills, delivered by Enterprise Made Simple. Open to adults aged 19 and over; fully funded for independent learners and self-employed, 90% funded for small and medium-sized businesses, 70% funded for large businesses.
Tees Valley Combined Authority
From 2027, BICS will reduce electricity costs by up to £40 per megawatt hour for eligible manufacturing businesses in the Industrial Strategy's growth sectors and foundational manufacturing industries that meet the relevant electricity intensity threshold. It also exempts eligible businesses from paying the indirect costs of the renewables obligation, capacity market and feed-in tariff.
Mercia
Mercia Capital, a specialist asset manager, provides equity investments, typically from £100,000 to £2 million, to growing regional businesses at start-up or scale-up stage that cannot be fully funded through conventional borrowing.
Business Enterprise Fund
Government-backed Start-up Loans of up to £25,000 with 12 months of free mentoring, delivered by Business Enterprise Fund (BEF) as an approved delivery partner for the Government's Start Up Loans scheme. Aimed at founders who may struggle to access conventional finance.
NEL Fund Managers
NEL's funds invest in ambitious growing businesses with a finance gap from £25,000, investing up to £2m, and can form part of a larger funding round with other investors.
Mercia
Mercia is a specialist asset manager providing venture, private equity and debt finance to growing regional businesses across the North East and Tees Valley. Its equity investments are typically from £100,000 to £2 million.
Hartlepool Borough Council, Invest Hartlepool
Free, dedicated support from Hartlepool Borough Council's Economic Growth Team for businesses of all sizes, from sole traders to established limited companies, looking to start, grow or relocate in Hartlepool.
Business Enterprise Fund
Business Enterprise Fund (BEF) is a not-for-profit social enterprise providing flexible loans to SMEs across the North East and Yorkshire when mainstream lenders cannot fully assist. Start-up loans range from £500 to £25,000, and unsecured growth loans go up to £250,000.
Community Foundation North East, Point North, North East Mayoral Strategic Authority
A new rolling programme of grants of up to £7,500 for charities and grassroots organisations supporting residents experiencing financial hardship in the North East. Funds food provision, community transport, digital inclusion, repair and reuse, and community spaces.
Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade
Free support from the Department for Business & Trade (DBT) North East team to help businesses trade and grow overseas, including tailored market information, market visits and advice from International Trade Advisers.
Make UK
Membership organisation for British manufacturers that gives members networking events, insight, advice and access to government. Several membership options are listed, including Make UK Membership, Make UK Defence Membership, UK Steel Membership and Corporate Membership.
NorthInvest
A business can apply to pitch to NorthInvest's angel investors for equity investment. Aimed at early-stage northern tech start-ups in healthtech, fintech, sustainability, AI and media.
Medilink
Membership of a life science business network in the North of England, giving access to industry knowledge, expertise, business support and member introductions. Open to life science businesses based in the North of England.
Entrepreneurs' Forum
A membership network where owner-managers of North East businesses meet at events and through peer-to-peer mentoring to share experience and grow faster.
Invest North East England
A free search facility for commercial land and property in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and Durham, focused on key sites of 10,000 to 50,000 square feet. Provided with a free package of support from Invest North East England.
North East BIC
Free one-to-one business advice from expert advisers for people starting a business, according to the North East BIC homepage. Also offers signposting and advice for eligible businesses across the region.
Entrepreneurs' Forum
Mentoring and peer learning for ambitious business founders in the North East with turnover between £100k and £250k, combining 1-to-1 mentoring with access to experienced entrepreneurs.
Going Green Together, Vonne
Free support for voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations in the North East to become more environmentally sustainable, led by VONNE: an online Sustainability Pathway, one-to-one support, webinars, peer support and subsidised accreditation.
North East BIC
Free one-to-one business advice from the North East BIC's expert advisers for people starting a business.